Too good of an antenna?

[chipfiev]

I'm an antenna TV viewer in Vernon Hills, IL...smack dab in the middle of Lake County, IL about 30 miles NNW of Chicago. I'm writing about some odd reception behavior that I hope you all might be able to help me understand.

My current setup:
large VHF/UHF antenna from Radio Shack aimed at Chicago (might be off by 5 degrees or so)
coax into house (50 ft)
PCT 8-way distribution amp (+4.5db)
coax to TVs

I can receive all Chicagoland stations and many stations outside of my market (South Bend, IN, Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo, MI). Overall signal strength has never been an issue. My issue is with one channel: WGN-TV (PSIP 9, channel 19) I can tune in WGN 9.1 and Antenna 9.2 with no issues during the day. I get a strong signal (reported by my TV as 78%) during the day. However, as the afternoon turns to night, my signal drops until, by 10pm, I cannot pull in the channel at all. I've found comments online that WGN's channel (19) conflicts with a channel in Madison, WI.

From Wikipedia article on WGN-TV:
In the far northern suburbs of Chicago and rural areas north and west, WMTV (Channel 15) in Madison, Wisconsin interferes with reception of WGN, especially in Kane, Lake, Boone and McHenry Counties — both WMTV and WGN broadcast their digital signals on channel 19. The signal from WGN-TV also battles in this area with the signal of WOTV which is based in the same area as WXMI-TV. The station also interferes in some portions of Berrien County and Van Buren County in Michigan with WGN's sister station WXMI (Channel 17), a Fox affiliate in Grand Rapids, which serves Western Michigan and also transmits over channel 19. WXMI maintains a digital translator station on channel 17 from Muskegon to address this interference.

Is there any way to work around this conflict and continue viewing WGN at night? Is my antenna too strong? I chose the antenna I did (knowing far less than I do now) so I could receive two VHF Chicagoland stations. Now we're almost all UHF (WBBM still broadcasts on 12 instead of their original 3) so would something smaller than my current VHF/UHF antenna provide good Chicago reception and not be strong enough to grab the competing signals?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

[chipfiev]

My TV Fool signal report can be found here: http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29&q=id%3d5ed6fcfeb981af

[ADTech]

I doubt its an interference issue from stations in adjacent markets or that your antenna is "too strong". If anything, it might not be directional enough.

Most likely, you're encountering a problem with multi-path that affects a single frequency. Relocating the antenna will probably solve the problem.

[chipfiev]

Thanks for the advice. Relocating this antenna will be tough...it's large and currently attached to a mast off my chimney.

I think I'm going to try re-aiming the antenna to a point just south of Chicago. I think I might be off to the north (to avoid my neighbor's house - and aluminum siding) so aiming to the south of his roof peak might get to a better aim at Chicago than my current direction.

Any suggestions for a more directional antenna?
The one I'm using now is similar to this: http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3740641&znt_campaign=Category_CMS&znt_source=CAT&znt_medium=RSCOM&znt_content=CT2032189

[teleview]

The following is a Teleview recommendation for broadcast Tv reception

What is the model number of the radio shack antenna??
____________________________________________________

Aim the antenna at about 148 degree magnetic compass.

Here is how to aim antennas , http://www.kyes.com/antenna/pointing/pointing.html.

[chipfiev]

What is the model number of the radio shack antenna??

I'm sorry but I don't remember. The link I posted above *looks* like what I have on my roof but there could be some differences.

[teleview]

The following is a Teleview recommendation for broadcast Tv reception.

Can also communicate by phone with the engineering department.

http://www.wgntv.com

http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/WGN-TV

[chipfiev]

I've sent the folks at WGN an email...we'll see if that gets me anywhere.

Here's something odd: it's raining here in Chicagoland tonight and WGN is coming in perfectly...no issues at all. Guess I just need clouds and rain in order for WGN to come in.

[GroundUrMast]

...

Here's something odd: it's raining here in Chicagoland tonight and WGN is coming in perfectly...no issues at all. Guess I just need clouds and rain in order for WGN to come in.

This is consistent with multipath. @ADTech's recommendation re. antenna location is the easiest to try and it costs virtually nothing. If that fails, I also agree with their recommendation of a more directional antenna. A more directional antenna will reduce the amount of undesired signal from off axis directions.

[chipfiev]

This is consistent with multipath. @ADTech's recommendation re. antenna location is the easiest to try and it costs virtually nothing. If that fails, I also agree with their recommendation of a more directional antenna. A more directional antenna will reduce the amount of undesired signal from off axis directions.

I really appreciate all the help here. I'll hop up on the roof this weekend and re-aim and lower the antenna. Hopefully that'll clear this up w/o spending any money.

Thanks!

[chipfiev]

Thought I should report that all is now well with my reception. My "correctly aimed" antenna was not aimed correctly anymore. I was about 40 degrees off of the mark. This would explain why I was now getting channels from Western Michigan.

Aiming the antenna at Chicago made all the difference.

Thanks again for the help.